May I Remind You
by ArtImitatesSex
Summary: AU. Michael left to Antar leaving Max, Isabel and Maria behind. Four years later he returns to Roswell. However, not everything is as it seems. Read and review please.
1. Back to the Beginning

"I don't remember you." He said solemnly. Flash forward a few minutes before. He had stumbled in, sweaty with a wild look in his eyes. The minute she saw him she ran to hug him. It had been four years since they had seen each other. He backed away from her and she stopped moving towards him. Confusion written across her face. Then, he said those words.

So, there she stood. Looking in awe. He was only gone a few years, how could he not remember her. After all they had been through together. They shared everything with each other.

"What do you mean?" She asked. His eyes scanned the room around him. Obviously, he was looking for something to spark his memory. The room was filled with odd decorations of thin, white creatures and huge paintings of space ships on the wall. Even the woman standing in front of him was wearing odd clothing.

"I came back because there was something familiar. It felt like it was calling me here…" He said as he looked back down at her face. Her long, blonde hair and her bright green eyes.

Maria noted that he looked different then the last time she saw him. His hair wasn't long anymore but short and combed away from his face. He wore a plain, V neck white shirt with a pair of fitting jeans. Doc Martins graced his feet. She suddenly felt very ridiculous standing there in her Crashdown uniform, with her hair in a tight ponytail. From the bags under her eyes, you could tell she had a hard day at work, and that she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. A mix of excitement and exhaustion filled her eyes.

She set the broom up against the bar counter and took a cautious step towards Michael. He countered by taking a step back. He didn't feel afraid, just unsure.

"You really don't remember who I am?" She asked, desperation laced her words. He looked into her eyes for a long few seconds, and then slowly shook his head. Her heart was slowly breaking by the second.

"I'm Maria."

"Maria?" Was all he said. Letting the name sink into his brain. In all the years she waited for him to come back, she never expected it to be like this. She always imagined it to be a joyful reunion.

"Where am I?" He asked, looking around the Café again.

"You're in Roswell, New Mexico. This is the Crashdown Café. I own it and work here. I also live…upstairs." Maria said as Michael started wandering around the premises. Drinking in all the sights and scents. He set his hand down on the counter and suddenly a vision washed over his mind and he was lost in it. A memory he didn't know he had.

_He stood outside the Crashdown, years before. It seemed like a whole other life. It felt like it was a hundred degrees outside, but there he stood. Watching her. Maria. Suddenly, he was inside the Café, kissing her. He pushed over a tray of cookies off the counter so that Maria could sit in front of him. Hands coarsely scanning each others bodies. Sweat making their skin glisten under the dim lighting._

Michael jerked his hand away from the counter and the vision stopped. He was breathing heavily and shaking a bit, too little to be noticed. He looked back over at Maria, who had been watching him. She was still standing over, near the door. Michael pursed his lips and his eyebrows started to furrow.

"Why can't I remember you?" Michael asked, desperation in his voice. Maria's heart broke even more for him. His voice trembled, and Maria swore she heard it quiver with fear. She stood, awkwardly, not knowing how to handle herself at this moment.

"I don't know. I wish you did." She said softly.

"I just saw a vision…of us…kissing." He announced, just as softly.

"That's nothing new." Maria said with a blush and a slight smile. She recalled memories such as those from the depths of her own mind. The only difference was, she knew where they came from. She relaxed a bit as she leaned against one of the bar chairs.

"It's new for me." Michael said sadly. Maria looked over at him. He looked lost, alone. Something she knew he shouldn't be feeling, because now he was back. It should've been a happy day.

Maria needed to clear her mind. Sniff some Cypress oil or meditate. Something, anything, to get this tension to leave. She started to take off her alien apron and set it on top of the counter. She did the same thing with her antenna head band.

She began to move in Michael's general direction, not really towards him however. She was headed to the back room. Michael watched her as she walked past him.

"Uhmm…where are you going?" He asked. Suddenly feeling panicked, he didn't want to be left alone. Maria turned around to look at him. She'd never seen something so adorable. His hands were stuffed in his pockets. He looked ready to run after her if she was to walk away from him.

"I worked twelve hours today, I smell. I live right upstairs. Come on, I'll make you some coffee." Maria said with a welcoming smile. Michael eventually nodded and followed her into the back room and up the stairs. She opened the door for him and he walked in.


	2. Fall away from your Past

Once upstairs in Maria's home, she went directly into the kitchen to begin making coffee.Michael on the other hand, began looking in the room. Maria noticed and suddenly began to feel self-conscience. A Michael, who didn't know who she was, was in her home.

"Uhmm…make yourself at home, this will only take a minute." She called to Michael. She started the pot of coffee and then left the kitchen to change out of her work clothes. Michael however, didn't respond to her call. His eyes were stuck on something. A photograph. Sitting on a small table by the couch. He raked his brain for something, anything that would make him remember. He was looking at a photograph of himself, Maria and two people that he knew that he knew. He couldn't place them though. A man, with short, dark hair and a woman with long blonde hair and a winning smile. There was also another picture of just himself and Maria. He was at such a loss that he couldn't remember these things.

Maria walked out of her room and into the living room, wearing a black tank top and blue jeans. She noticed that he was looking at her photographs.

"Nothing?" She asked. He turned around to look at her at the sound of her voice. She noticed that he gave her the once around and she wondered if she looked good to him.

"What?" he asked. She walked up to the pictures and picked one up.

"Well, I was kinda hoping that seeing these picture would like…wake something up in your brain. I dunno…help you remember me." She said, as she looked down at the picture.

"Do you remember Max and Isabel?" Maria asked. She looked up into his confused, brown eyes. He took a deep breathe and looked at the faces in the pictures. Then, he slowly shook his head. Maria couldn't believe it. She didn't remember who Max and Isabel were. They were practically his only family.

Maria sighed and went to go sit down on her burnt-orange couch. She places her hand on her forehead, where a headache was starting to form.

"What do you remember?" She asked after a few moments of kneading her temples. Michael shrugged and sat down on the yellow recliner across from her.

"Well…I remember the War. When I was fighting it always felt like I was fighting for something other than peace…something in my subconscious that I couldn't quite place. I remember seclusion. I spent most of my years after the War studying in my home. After seven years of war, of course I wanted to be alone."

"Wait," Maria interrupted. "Seven years? But, you've only been gone here for four years." Maria finished.

"That's not possible. I spent seven years fighting and then it was thirteen years of seclusion." Michael said. Maria couldn't believe it. Twenty years?

"I guess…your years are different. I'll have to ask Max." Maria said as she stood up from the couch. Michael watched her with intense eyes.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked. Maria had never heard him sound so vulnerable before. She turned slowly to look at him.

"I have to make a quick phone call." She said, then, she turned back to exit the room. Michael just sat back and tried to let himself relax.

Maria quickly walked into her bedroom and picked up her telephone. She dialed a number she knew all too well. Two rings later, she heard a voice that she desperately needed to hear.

"Hello?" The female voice said happily on the other end of the line.

"Liz? Liz, my God, do I need your help!" Maria said all in one breathe. Almost too fast to hear. She had tried not to sound panicked, but it came out that way anyway.

"Maria? Maria, what's going on?" Liz said in the receiver.

"Liz, something amazing and terrible has happened." Maria said with her usual cripticness.

"Okay Maria, just take it slow. What is going on?" Liz said, with her usually calmness. Maria took a deep breath then noticed that he hands were trembling, which meant that he voice would tremble as well.

"He's back." Maria said finally, after a long few moments of her trying to calm herself down.

"Oh my God. That's…that's amazing!" Liz said, in astonishment. Maria could hear Max in the background asking who she was talking to. Over the receiver, Maria could hear Liz whisper he name to Max.

"Okay Maria, you said something terrible happened too." Liz asked, not really sure of anything that was going on at this point.

"He doesn't remember anything." Maria said quietly. Liz was quiet on the other side of the line for a few seconds.

"We'll be there in a half hour. I'll call Iz." Liz said as she hung up the phone.


	3. Calm me Down

Maria walked into the living room and once again found Michael looked at framed photographs. She smiled and stepped into the kitchen to get Michael's coffee. Alas, her only clean cups had aliens on them, she giggled at the irony. She poured the hot, black liquid into the cups. She put sugar, creamer and a dash of Tabasco into one of the cups. She took them and walked back into the living room. Michael was still up and about, looking now at the pictures on the walls.

"Uh, here you go." Maria said, placing the mugs on the lime green coffee table. Michael looked over at her, caution in his eyes. After a few moments he walked over to the chair he was sitting in before and took his cup.

Maria again sat opposite him. She wanted to give him plenty of space, so he wouldn't get scared. She picked up her own cup and concentrated on him while they silently drank together.

"This is very good. Thank you." Michael said as he took a big gulp of his coffee. Maria smiled, pleased that she put the Tabasco in there. Although, she had also hoped that the spicy sauce would spark something in his brain. His silence had shown that it hadn't. The room became a bit too silent for Maria's liking, so she decided to try and talk to him some more.

"So, do you remember who you are?" Maria asked, she quickly felt stupid for asking such a question. Michael shrugged.

"My name is Rath on Antar. But, when I came here and you called me Michael it seemed so familiar. Was that my name here?" Michael asked, and Maria just nodded. Then, she smiled at him; he couldn't help but smile back. Michael set his cup down on the coffee table and stood. He started pacing the room. Maria did her best to watch calmly.

"God…this is so bizarre. I wish I'd never gotten that vision of this place. I woud have been better off staying at home! Instead, I had to go on some crazy mission to find this place, only to find out I don't remember any of this once I get here! And, I keep getting these flashes from everything I touch and-"

"You had another one?" Maria asked, interrupting his breakdown. Michael stopped pacing and nodded.

"What was it of? Your vision?" Maria questioned. Michael rubbed his eyes and then tried to explain.

"It was me and you. There were lots of other people there as well. In suits and dresses. I wasn't in a suit though. Uhmm…everyone seems so familiar, I just can't place them. You…you were in white, with flowers in your hair…" He said, as he closed his eyes to try and remember more. Maria stood up and walked out of the room. Michael opened his eyes and watched her go, wondering if he had said something to offend her. She quickly returned with a framed picture in her hand. She handed the picture to Michael.

"Is that what you saw?" She asked. Michael took one look at it and he knew right away.

"Yes. What is this?" Michael asked, confusion spilling from his mouth. He was seeing himself in all these photographs but he didn't know what to make of them.

"This is a Prom picture. Sorta a formal dance. You were gonna take me but you didn't so I went alone. This couple here, the girl with the curly blonde hair, that's Tess and Kyle. She's from where you are from." Maria said. Michael's mouth fell open a bit as he continued to look at the picture.

"Is anyone else in the picture…like me?" Michael asked shyly. Maria smiled at him and then pointed to a man with short brown hair.

"This is Max; he's basically your brother. And, this is Isabel, she's like you also." Michael smiled and seeing him smile, Maria couldn't help but grin as well.

"These are my best friends, Liz and Alex." Maria said.

"This is so intense. I can't believe what I'm seeing." Michael said as he stared at the picture in his hands. Maria couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She couldn't imagine what she would do if she was in that situation. She could see the sorrow and confusion in his eyes. He looked up at her and their eyes met. Hazel and brown.

In a moment's time, Maria found herself leaning closer to him, and their lips met. Michael noted the soft familiarity of her lips. They were cool and warm at the same time. They were inviting. Within seconds, he was kissing her back with uncharacteristic gentleness. Then, he got a flash.

_Michael and Maria were in a musky cluttered room. Bodies pressed together as his hands slid up the side of her thin body._

_They were in the Crashdown. Maria looked almost on the brink of tears. Michael came from behind her and kissed her swiftly._

"_That was to calm you down." Michael whispered._

"_Thanks."_

Michael pulled away from her and gazed into her eyes. Maria spoke first.

"That was to-"

"Calm me down?" Michael asked with a smile on his face. Maria smiled back at him and started to lean in again when a knock came from the door. Maria looked into Michael's eyes and began to blush. After a few seconds the knock came again and Maria stood and went to open it.


	4. Home

Just as the door swung open, Liz practically attacked her with a hug. Isabel next. Max gave her a large hug and Jesse, a one armed hug.

As the five of them entered the living room, Michael stood, surprised at the group of people who suddenly arrived. They all turned to see him, and their jaws dropped.

"My god, he's really back." Isabel said. Michael recognized her face from the photographs. He saw the man who was standing with her. It wasn't the same person she was with in the photo. He didn't recognize that man.

"Michael, do you recognize us?" Max asked. Michael looked at all their faces. He only knew them from pictures.

"I recognize you from Maria's photographs. I know you're like me. An alien. Maria told me." Michael explained. Max sighed.

"I don't understand how this could have happened." Max said, quietly. Everyone looked over at Michael and he started to feel very insecure.

"How can we fix this?" Isabel said, not necessarily to anyone, just talking to herself.

Maria started to pace around the room. She hadn't said anything the whole time since the rest of them arrived. She was just observing everything around her. Letting it all sink in and settle.

"What about the stones?" Liz asked suddenly. Everyone turned to look at her.

"The stones that River Dog gave us all those years back when Michael got sick. They saved him then. Do you think they could help in a situation like this?" Liz finished. Everyone in the room, including Michael, looked at Max.

"We can't, use them. They were destroyed when I had to try and heal you. When you were getting your powers." Max said, matter-of-factly. They all looked defeated for a moment. Max stayed pacing around the room. Maria sat down across from Michael. Isabel and Jesse sat down on the couch as well.

"Do you guys want coffee?" Maria asked the group. Max and Liz shook their heads. Although, Isabel and Jesse accepted. Both of them trying not to stare at Michael. Maria stood up and went to the kitchen.

"Don't worry. We are going to make this right." Jesse said to both Isabel and Michael. Mostly, just to try and cheer up Isabel.

"Who're you?" Michael asked suddenly. Isabel and Jesse both looked at him a bit startled.

"I'm Isabel, this is Jesse. Look, I know you don't remember us for some reason, but-"

"No, I mean…you. Jesse. I saw a picture of Isabel with someone else, but you aren't him." Michael said. Not even noticing that he cut off Isabel. They just looked at him. Michael stood and walked to the other side of the room. He grabbed one of Maria's framed pictures and handed it t o Isabel. It was the Prom.

"Him." Michael said, pointing his finger to a face that Isabel hadn't seen in years. "ho is he?" Michael asked.

"Oh God…Alex." Isabel said, sorrow hitting her voice hard. She couldn't do much to hide her sadness. She traced her fingertips over the photo of him.

"Alex was a very special friend to everyone. He uh…he died about five years ago. A crash. God…I haven't seen this picture in ages." Isabel said.

Michael sat back so he could process the new information. Isabel sat beside Jesse, clutching the picture to her chest. Jesse sat in his own silence. He had never heard Isabel talk about Alex before, it made him slightly uncomfortable.

Maria walked back into the room with two mugs of coffee and placed them on the table in front of everyone.

"There's Tabasco in that one for Isabel." Maria said to her. Isabel smiled quickly at her. She was still thinking about Alex, the picture still in her hands.

A few brief moments of silence passed between all the friends. Suddenly Max began to speak.

"If something or someone caused the amnesia than it's basically brain damage. Which means, that I'll most likely be able to heal him." He finished,

"You're right. Like you did to Brody." Maria said.

"Exactly." Max exclaimed as he looked around the room. Isabel had a slight smile on her face.

"Why didn't we think of this before?" Liz said, as she looked to Michael. He looked slightly panicked and unsure of what these people were going to do to them.

"So…is this gonna hurt me or anything?" Michael asked concern in his voice. His nerves were increasing by the moment. Here were five strangers standing around him, telling him that one of them was going to heal him.

"No way, Max would never hurt anyone." Maria said in her most comforting voice. Michael just sat there and took a once over of everyone.

"Okay, I'm going out on a limb trusting you guys. So, I guess lets just get this over with as soon as possible." Michael stood up. Everyone starts to stand closer to him and they all look to Max.

He walked forward and lifted his hand cautiously to Michael's head. He scanned through his brain and found the part of his brain where all his memories were stored. He looked at Michael, who was slightly trembling. Max took a deep breath and concentrated on Michael's injured brain. Everyone was watching the two with nail-biting anticipation.

Michael started to feel a warm sensation burn in his stomach. It spread to his arms and legs, and then finally, his brain. His knees began to go weak as he suddenly collapsed on the ground. Max took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He felt exhausted.

Everyone's eyes were on Michaels, as he had fallen to the floor. Maria went to his side. His breathing was labored and harsh. He was being sucked into his flashbacks, with a blinding force.

_Breaking out of the pods…_

_Seeing Max and Isabel…_

_Getting Adopted…_

_Seeing Liz get shot at the Crashdown…_

_Kissing Maria in the eraser room…_

_Seeing Tess and Nasedo…_

_The Pod Chamber…_

_Prom Night…_

_Getting the news of Alex dying…_

_Leaving everyone behind…_

When Michael woke and opened his eyes, he was on a bed. Maria was patting his forehead with a wet cloth.

"Guys, he's awake!" Maria exclaimed. Suddenly, everyone rushed into Michael's field of vision. They didn't say anything to him; they just wanted to see if he remembered them. Michael took a deep breath.

As quick as lightening he took Maria's face in his hands and kissed her as passionately as he could. It was all he could think to do. Everyone gasped and smile as they then realized that their plan had worked. Liz hugged Max, and Isabel also hugged him.

Michael ended the kiss to see the look of surprise and happiness on Maria's face.

"You remember me?" Maria asked, tears threatening to spill.

"How could I ever forget you?" Michael said. Maria smiled and kissed him again. Wrapping her arms around him. She never planned to ever let go again.

The End


End file.
